tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37627577.post3733603912713518480..comments2024-02-12T16:32:03.714-08:00Comments on Book of Kells: What TO DO When Giving a Poetry Reading--Kelli Russell Agodon - Book of Kellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01798460634708905783noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37627577.post-18151514671299172302010-05-30T02:42:37.324-07:002010-05-30T02:42:37.324-07:00Generally this seems like good advice, coinciding ...Generally this seems like good advice, coinciding with my experience reading poems. <br /><br />I disagree with point 13 however, when I hear poets read and I do not like their work (because I have no empathy for bad artists) I will make an effort to show the contempt I have for their meager poems. The type of fluffy "lets support and encourage each other" always makes me feel suspiscious that the writers really are not that good. ... Giving a poetry reading to me is not very different from performing music - it should be exciting, intimate .... executed well <br /><br />I'd disagree with point 11 as well. In my mind there certainly is a wrong way to be a poet - poems that are so bad I'd spend an hour with my friends making fun of them. The world is chock full of bad poets and bad poetry. <br /><br />Anyway, interesting blog, hope you give mine a look.Christopherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03468472926560114275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37627577.post-66210435080713005432010-05-27T20:37:39.738-07:002010-05-27T20:37:39.738-07:00The most essential thing for me, when I'm read...The most essential thing for me, when I'm reading poems to an audience, is to try to get myself emotionally into the place where the poem is coming from.<br /><br />(This helps a lot with several of the things you've said here, and that some of the commenters have said -- connecting with the audience, being present in the moment, opening up to my own vulnerability, these among other things.)<br /><br />I also make a point of concentrating on pronouncing the words clearly as I'm reading. This seems like an obvious no-brainer, and I guess it is, but I've also found it helps with getting through moments of nervousness or stage fright, if my mind goes blank in the middle of a reading, etc. I can just pay attention to pronouncing the words, one after the other, and after a few moments my mind comes back and the reading keeps going, seamless.<br /><br />A useful practical thing I learned long ago from one of my early poetry teachers: read "mouth speed" (as he put it), not "eye speed." When you're reading from a page, your eyes tend to read faster than your voice can keep up with.<br /><br />If you read at the speed your mouth wants to go (instead of the speed your eyes want to go), it will help with the second item above (pronouncing the words clearly), and it helps also with drawing out the sound qualities of the words in the poem.<br /><br />Once when I was talking with a friend about this, I picked up a newspaper and read a paragraph out loud each way -- first eye speed, then mouth speed -- and even with an "ordinary" piece of writing from the newspaper, we could both hear the difference.Lyle Daggetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10731915540520704368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37627577.post-33834429574443732162010-05-27T10:53:27.375-07:002010-05-27T10:53:27.375-07:00I came on to make a point just made: to plan what ...I came on to make a point just made: to plan what you'll read and not be flipping around searching. But I also wouldn't mind someone who did NOT plan what to read and randomly opened her/his book and read whatever was on that page. It could be a "potluck" reading, and might be fun. Another piece of feedback could be this: if you are only given a brief time to read at a shared venue (like, 5 minutes), pick poems that need no or very little set up/explanation. Allow for some silence between readers and poems, and don't overwhelm the audience with more "context" at a rushed or long event. I really appreciate Susan's feedback--how many of us have been to events where the poet has read something so often there is no longer risk, vulnerabilty, or passion in the presentation.... Can this passion be courted or "acted," for the sake of the reader? -NancyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37627577.post-26272761082429046222010-05-27T09:05:11.894-07:002010-05-27T09:05:11.894-07:00Matthew-- That flipping through the notebook also ...Matthew-- That flipping through the notebook also annoys me. It does send the message that "this reading wasn't that important and your time isn't important either..." Yes, plan what you read ahead of time!<br /><br />Jennifer-- You're welcome! Have a great reading! Let us know how it goes.<br /><br />Jim-- Yes, #9, #9, #9, is an important one. I think is one of the things that makes a great reading.<br /><br />Susan-- <br />I agree about taking a risk. That's a great addition! <br /><br />As for theme, I think I should clarify that I wasn't just thinking a theme on subject, such as I'm going to read all my poems about my father's death, but something that ties it all together.<br /><br />One reading I told the audience, "Tonight I'm going to read all the poems I've never read to an audience." When I read each poem, I began with why I never read the poem -- "I never read this poem because I was concerned about the repetition," "I've never read this poem because it has the word 'anesthesiologist' in it and I'm always afraid I'll stumble over that word..." etc.<br /><br />I do like starting a theme and breaking it though, that's very much like a poem, then the audience doesn't know what to expect.<br /><br />But I do think the key is planning it out in advance (which you always do, so I'm not worried!) ;-)Kelli Russell Agodon - Book of Kellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01798460634708905783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37627577.post-53713755212485443132010-05-27T08:19:14.886-07:002010-05-27T08:19:14.886-07:00Hi Kelli,
I have a reading tomorrow at Columbia Lo...Hi Kelli,<br />I have a reading tomorrow at Columbia Longview College and am debating myself over whether to create a theme. I don't know if that always works...I like it best when the poet also breaks theme to do something he or she really wants to add. Maybe that's what I will do. <br /><br />I'd also add -- Allow yourself a certain vulnerability at your reading. Risk something. Do something you haven't tried before. Let your audience know this so that they understand you are not a performing doll but a person who is doing something special just for them.Susan Richhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11883699379179129887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37627577.post-5838694166858287552010-05-27T06:54:03.166-07:002010-05-27T06:54:03.166-07:00I really appreciate point #9. Leaving the audienc...I really appreciate point #9. Leaving the audience something can give purpose and focus to your reading (and to let it be designed for a specific audience).Jim Brockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14408507847342833145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37627577.post-9461919923878908492010-05-27T06:31:17.586-07:002010-05-27T06:31:17.586-07:00Thanks for this and the what not to do post. Perfe...Thanks for this and the what not to do post. Perfect timing for me - I'll be involved in my first public reading next month, and I've just book marked both of these to look at again as the reading gets closer.Jenniferhttp://www.magpiedays.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37627577.post-2995655993317523812010-05-27T06:11:18.420-07:002010-05-27T06:11:18.420-07:00Thanks for sharing this excellent advice, Kelli. A...Thanks for sharing this excellent advice, Kelli. As a frequent audience member, I was sitting here nodding my head yes, yes, yes, yes, yes as I read your list. (And as a somewhat regular reader, I appreciate these reminders and am bookmarking this post to refer back to before my next reading!)<br /><br />The other thing that bothers me at readings is when a poet gets up to the microphone or podium and starts flipping through their pages or book, trying to decide what to read. That's work that should have been done before the reading, I think, and can seem insulting to the audience.Matthew Thorburnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04957748529242384114noreply@blogger.com